City Walls of Diyarbakir, Turkey

Diyarbakir is about 15 miles north of Syria. Back in 1998, when this shot was taken, there were very few tourists. At present, it may not be the safest spot at present to wear a Mets cap and “I love America” apparel.

A fascinating sight in the city center is the Ulu Mosque (at the background), notable for its original architecture and the ancient materials used in the restoration of the building at various times.

It is known that the Church of Saint Thomas and was gradually converted into a mosque. It is a grand and impressive structure, built of cut stone over an area of 80 x 80 meters.

On the foreground is the black basalt city wall encircling the old town- an excellent example of medieval military architecture.